Nut-lock.



K. V. THIGPEN.

NUT LocK. APPLICATION FILED 1AN.3, 1916. RENEWED AUG. 17,1917- 1,246,353. Patented Nov. A13, 1917.

* (Huw 2 l 'f /f/ m @Dvi/hwg@ Unirnp STATES Paritair erwies.

KIT voNLoN THIGPEN, or ennnusnono, NORTH maonrna,` nssrcnon or cnn-HALF To SAMUEL SANDELIN, or ennnlvsnono, NORTH CAROLINA.

vNUT-Lock.

Specification of Letters vPatent.

' rateneed Nav.' 13.1917.

'Application :tiled January 3, 1916, Serial No.l 69,899. Renewed August 17, 1.917. y Serial No. 186,828.

To all whom z' may concern.'

Be it known that I, KIT VoNLoN THIG- PEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greensboro, in the county of Guilford and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Nut-Locks; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as kwill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use/the same.

rThis invention relates generally to improvements in nut locks and more particularlyto that class ofnutlocksfin which the nut is coupled to the bolt.

The' primary object of the invention is to provide a closedcasing containing a latch mechanism for locking nuts against rotation on bolts, which latch mechanism may be re* leased from engagement with the nuts by the insertion of a vsuitable key.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means whereby the nuts are automatically locked as they areinserted upon the bolts.

A still further object resides in the provision otV a device which will be simple,

strong, durable and inexpensive in construc-v tion, eflicient and reliable inoperation, and well adapted tothe purposefor which it is designed.

A In the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, in which similar reference characters indicate like parts 4throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a longitudinalsectional view of a device constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the outer end of the nut member;

' Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the outer end of the washer member; l

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the outer end of the locking block; 1

Fig. 5 is a similar view of the inner end of the nut member;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the key;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of a slightly modified form of the invention;

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the outer end of the nut member of the modified form;

Fig. 9 is a similar-.view of the cuter end of the washer member; and

z'Fig 1'0 is a side elevation of the locking block.

In the embodiment illustrated, 1 represents the head and 2 the shank portion ot a bolt to which this invention is designed to be applied. The shank portion 2 ot this bolt is provided with the usual screw threaded end 3, but is further provided with a squared portion 4 adjacent the threaded end 3, the purpose of which will be hereinafter set forth. After the shank portion 2 of the'bclt has been extended through the object which itis designed to clamp together, the former is inserted through thecentral opening 5 disposed in the inner end of a suitable casing Vor washer 6, the `outer end of which is propart of the present invention. l

Disposed on the threaded end 8 of the bolt is a hexagonal nut 9, the inne-r vend ot .which is provided with an annular flange 10. This Harige 1() is lspaced from the outer edges of thev nut and is provided with a series ot' ratchet teeth 11, the latter coperating with a similar series ot' ratchet teeth 12 arranged on an annular iiange 13 which extends outwardly from theouter or adjacent tace of a circular locking block 14. This locking block 14 has a centrally disposed lsquare shaped aperture 15 through which the squared shank portion 4 of the bolt is inserted, thereby preventing the former from rotating with respect to Ythe latter. Surrounding the squared shank portion 4 of the bolt is a cone-shaped spiral spring 16. the Y smaller inner end of which abuts again st the eXtreme bottom'of the recess in the casing 6. while its larger outer end abuts against the inner face of the block 14. By this arrangement, itm'ay be clearly seen that thel spring 16, lbeing constantly under tension, 'forces the block 14 outwardly and yieldablv-holds the ratchet teeth 12 carried by the latter. in engagement with those carried by the nut 9.

` The inner end of the spring 16 is substantially equal in diameter to the distance may require.

across the squared portion 4 of the bolt so that when the locking block 14 is moved to its innermost position, said spring lwill be compressed into substantially fiat form and be completely housed within the inclined bottom of the recess 7. It may also be seen that it is only necessary to turn the nut to apply it to the bolt, as the beveled faces of the ratchet teeth 11 and 12 intermittently force the block 1-/1 inwardly. However, as the block 14 is vnon-rotatably mounted on the squared shank portion et of the bolt, loosening' or turning of the nut in the reverse direction is prevented.

To accomplish this last mentioned object, the arms or fingers 17 of the substantially U-shaped key are inserted through two longitudinally extending apertures 18 arranged on diametrically opposite sides of thenut if) and having. portions of their inner ends disposed slightly inwardly from the inner side of the flange 13, as mostclearly shown by Figs. 1 and -7 of the drawings, to allow the freey ends of these fingers 17, which have their outer edges reduced at 19, to .clear the inner edges of the Vannular toothed angel of the block and engage the smooth faces of the latter, whereby by a slight inward pressure upon said key, the block 14 may be forced inwardly until the teeth 11 and `12 are disengaged. The nut 9 Vmay be thenloosened and removed' entirely from the bolt.-

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 illustrate a slightly modified form of the invention, the bolt being provided with a squared shank 20, which obviously necessitates a. square :shaped aperture 21 in the easing or washerv 6. As clearly shown in Fig. S'Of the drawing, the nut member 22 is square shaped and is provided with a circular flange or base plate Z8 on its inner ond `vh'ichl closes or covers the open recessed `end of the washer 6 and prevents dust, dirt or the like from entering the same.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying' drawings, it is obvious that the objects of the invention have been effectively carried out. It will be seen that the various parts of the device are shaped and arranged with respect to one another so that the complete device is a very compact `structure and can be manufactured as small as ordinary usage This, however, is not true with regard 1 to other devices nowlrnown made up of a considerable number of parts, as they generally haveto be made so large that they are only capablel of being used in connection with comparatively large bolts and nuts.` However, it is to be noted, that various changes in form yand proportion witnesses.

may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of this invention, and hence I do not wish, to limit myself to the construction herein vshown other than that set forth in the ,appended claim.

ter; of a washer surrounding the sofluared` portion of said bolt and yhaving anopening therein to provide for the passage therethrough of said boltand circular recess in its outer end, the-bottoni of said recess inclining inwardly from its sides to its center, a locking block circular in configuration and having a square-shaped central -openingvto receive the squared portion of said bolt to provide a `non-rotatable mounting upon the same, said block being substantiallyequal in diameter with said recess and slidable longitudinally on saidsbolt within the latter from its outer end to the outer end of the inclined bottom thereof, a: cone-shaped spiral spring surrounding thesquared?poiq` tion of said bolt and having itsrlarger. end bearing against the inner face of said block, and its inner end resting against the extreme bottom of said recessv and being substantially equal in diameter to the distance diL agonally across the squared portion of's'aid bolt, said spring.beingncompletely housed within the inclinedbottom of said recess when compressed -into substantially fiatform when said locking block is in its innermost position in said recess, a nut disposed on the threaded end of said bolt Vand contacting with the outer recessed end of said washer, and annular fianges arranged on the adjacent faces of said nut and block and having cooperating ratchet-teeth on their edges for preventing rotation ofsaid nutin one direction, said nutbeing provided with diametrically opposite longisaid locking y tudinall eXtendin a iertures ortions-,of l a l) the inner ends of which are disposed slightly inwardly of the innerside of the-flange on said locking block to provide for the'engagement of Vthe reducedfree ends of the spaced fingers of a block releasing key with i Iii-testimony whereof'Ilhave hereunto set f my hand in presence of two subscribing AKir voNLoNfrniernN.

Witnesses:

J. T.' CARRUTHERS, C.l V. WEBSTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtanedfor five centseach,V by addressing the Commissionerof Patents,

' Washington, I). C. 

